Signal



Dec. 2, 1930 J. B. HAMILTON S IGNAL 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 10, 1928 r f 0 O' fluor/Mugs,

Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES i JOSEPH B. HAMILTON, OF SOUTH PASADENA, CALIFORNIA SIGNAL Application led January 10, 1928." Serial N'o. 2,215,764.V

This invention has reference to signaling devices and more particularly to signaling devices especially designed for use in connection with motor vehicles, the primary object Y of the invention being to provide a signaling device secured to a motor vehicle and electrically controlled means for operating the signaling device to display a signal indicating the direction of travel to be taken by the vehicle.

An important object of the invention is to provide a signaling device of this type including swinging arms, the arms having cut out portions outlining arrows to indicate direction of travel when the arms are moved to their active positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signaling device including a boX-like body portion to which the arms are pivotally connected, the box-like body portion having an open side normally closed by the arms, to the end that when an arm is moved to its inf dicatingposition, light rays will be projected from the body portion to illuminate the arm outlining the arrow.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the comb-ination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within they scope of what is claimed, without departing J from the: spirit of the invention.Y

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational View illustrating a motor vehicle equipped with a signaling device constructed in accordance with the invention. v

Figure 2 is a fragmental elevational View illustrating a mud guard showing a signaling device positioned thereon.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the body portion of the device.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic View illustrat ing the electric circuits.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrati ing a modified form of wiring.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the device includes a box-like body portion indicated generally by the numeral 5,7the `front thereof being open and normally closed by the arms or blades 6 and 7 respectively, which are pivotally supported within the' open side of the body portion.

These arms or blades are pivotally mounted on the vertical shafts 8 that are supported within the body portion, there being provided coiled springs 9 surrounding the shafts, one end of each spring being anchored within the body portion as at 10, while the opposite end of each spring is secured to the arm or blade with which it is associated, as at 11 so that after an arm has been operated to indicate the direction of travel, the coiled spring connected therewith will return the arm to its normal position.

These arms 6 and 7 are pivotally supported at their inner Vends and are providedwith inwardly extended arms 12, which arms 12 are disposed in opposite 'directions and as shown, connect with the links 13 that in turn have pivotal connection with the cores 14 of the solenoids 15, to the end that as the solenoids are energized and the cores are drawn into the solenoids, the links 13 will be operated to swing the armsor blades to positions as shown bydotted linesin Figure 3, thereby uncovering a portion of the device allowing the light .rays to be projected from the body portion. v

Located within the body portion is a lamp 16 which is in circuit with ay suitable source 0f electricity supply to illuminate the lamp for illuminating the arms or blades.

Each of the arms 6 and ,7 is provided with a cut out portion indicating anarrow such as shown at 17 in Figure 4, the arrows being arranged ln opposite directions to indicate the direction to be taken by the vehicle', that is 95 to say, if the driver is going to turnto the right, he would of course operate the indicating arm having the arrow pointing to the right, but should he desire to turn to theleft, the operator will of course operate the arm or blde wherein the arrow is directed to the le As shown by Figure 5, the lamp 16 is in circuit with the battery 18 through the wires 19 and 20, at one side of the battery, while the lamp is in circuit with the opposite side of the battery through wires 21 and 22, there being provided a switch member 23 to establish contact between the wires 21 and 22 to complete the circuit.

The solenoid operating one of the arms is in circuit with the battery 18 through the wire and is in circuit with the opposite side of the battery through the wires 24 and 25, the switch 26 being designed to be controlled by the operator so that it may be thrown into engagement with either contact member 27 or 28, the latter contact member being in circuit with the wire 29 which in turn is in circuit with the opposite solenoid.

The last mentioned solenoid or the solenoid in the right hand end of the body portion is in circuit with the battery 18 through wire 20. Thus it will be obvious that due to this construction, the switch member 23 may be operated to complete the circuit to the lamp 16, whereupon the signaling device will be illuminated and when the switch 26 is operated, to move an arm to its indicating` position, the light rays projected from the lamp 16 will illuminate the operated arm to accomplish the purpose of the invention.

n the diagram, as shown by Figure 6, the solenoid at one end of the body portion of the signal is in circuit with the battery 18 through the wires 19, 20 and 21, the return circuit being made through the wire 22', contact point 23', swit-ch arm 24 and wire 25. In this form of wiring, the light which is indicated at 26 is lighted only when one of the signaling arms is moved, the lighting taking place through the switch member 2'4" carried at one end of the arm V28, the switch member 27 being designed to contact with the contact point 29', which is in circuit with one side of the battery through the wires 19 and 20', the return circuit to the lamp being made through the wires 30 and 31.

lhen the opposite solenoid is energized, by the movement of the switch arm 24 to contact with the contact point, 32', the circuit is completed through the wires 25, 31, battery 18, wires 19 and 32.` As this solenoid is energized, the contact member 33 engages the contact point 34 to complete the circuit to the lamp 26 through the wire 35. 1t is obvious that when the arm and solenoid are moved to their normal or inactive positions, the circuits to the lamp 26 will be broken and the light will be extinguished.

It might be further stated that the inner ends of the arms or blades 6 and 7 are normally disposed in spaced relation with each other, so that when an arm is operated, light rays will be projected across both sides of the arms illuminating the indicating arrow thereon.

I claim:

1. In a signaling device, a body portion having an open side, a pair of aligned side members normally closing the open side, means for pivotally connecting the inner ends of the side members to the body portion, said side members having cut out portions defining arrows pointing in a common direc-- tion, and means for operatingl the side mem` bers to move them to their indicating positions.

2. In a signaling device, a body portion, a pair of aligned members arranged end to end, means for pivotally connecting the inner ends of the members to the body portion, said members having cut out portions defining arrows, one or' the arrows pointing towards the pivots of the members, the other arrow pointing away from the vpivots to :anse the arrows to indicate opposite directions when the members are moved t0 their active positions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

JOSEPH B. HAMILTON.

ISO 

